Lesson 12

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah

The following assignments include various learning activities, such as questions, lists, essays, charts, comparisons, contrasts, and surveys. To receive credit for this lesson, you must complete the number of assignments indicated below and submit them to your institute instructor or administrator. You may submit your work either electronically or on paper, handwritten or typed.

Each lesson should take approximately 60–90 minutes to complete, the same amount of time you would typically spend in a weekly institute class. Since reading the scripture block listed in the lesson heading is expected of all institute students prior to class, the estimated time for each assignment does not include the time you need to spend reading the scripture block.

Complete assignment 4 and any two of the other assignments:

1. Hosea. Hosea Called the Children of Israel to Return unto the Lord

Read about “Hosea” in the Bible Dictionary (p. 705). Write a paragraph about Hosea using the following questions as an outline:

Where did Hosea live?

What is unique about him?

When did he live?

What was the condition of the people of Israel at the time?

Read Hosea 1 and the institute student manual commentary for Hosea 1–14, “The Manner of Prophesying among the Jews” (p. 103), and Hosea 1:2–3, “How Are We to Understand God’s Commanding Hosea to Marry a Harlot?” (p. 104). Explain in writing who Hosea represents, who Gomer represents, and what is the message of Hosea 1.

2. Joel. “The Day of the Lord Cometh”

Read Joel 2:1–11 and make a list of phrases that describe “the day of the Lord.” From your list, what time period is the “day of the Lord”? For more information about when this is, read the student manual commentary for Joel 1:1, “Who Was Joel and When Did He Live?” (p. 83) and the commentary for Joel 2:2–11, “The Day of the Lord Is Great and Very Terrible” (pp. 84–85) and the Bible Dictionary chronology chart (p. 638). Read Joel 1:14 and list four ways you can prepare for the Second Coming.

Compare Joel 2:10–11 and Doctrine and Covenants 133:41–52. The Second Coming of the Lord will be accompanied by great devastation. What comforting assurances do you gain from Joel 2:11–27 as you put this great event into perspective with the purposes of the Lord? For whom will the Second Coming of Jesus Christ be great, and for whom will it be terrible?

Read Amos 8:11–12 and the student manual commentary for Amos 8:11–12, “A Famine in the Land” (p. 94). Describe in writing how this is a good description of a general apostasy on the earth. According to what you read, what are the results of people living in apostasy?

4. Obadiah. Saviors “up on Mount Zion”

Read Obadiah 1:17, 21;Doctrine and Covenants 128:5, 15; student manual Points to Ponder, “Saviors on Mount Zion” (p. 259); Bible Dictionary, “Obadiah” (p. 739). Explain in a paragraph or two what is taught in these references. In what ways does the temple deliver the faithful? How does the temple represent holiness?